Defense & Security

Japan, NATO Establishing Confidential Info Sharing Line; Prime Minister Kishida to Meet With Secretary General, Finalize Details

Reuters
A journalist casts a shadow next to logos on the day of the NATO 75th anniversary celebratory event in Washington on Tuesday.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:35 JST, July 10, 2024

Japan and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are in the final stages of work to set up a dedicated line for sharing highly confidential security information, several Japanese government sources said.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to meet with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to reach an agreement on Thursday in conjunction with an ongoing NATO summit in Washington.

The two sides aim to strengthen security cooperation by establishing a system to let them share high-level information even at ordinary times.

Last July, Japan and NATO drafted the Individually Tailored Partnership Programme, a cooperation document that will cover the period through 2026. The plan sets out a policy to deepen cooperation in areas such as cybersecurity and disinformation, and the dedicated line is expected to accelerate information sharing and promote the ITPP policy.